In the event you are injured on the job there is a good chance that you will be entitled to workers compensation. There are problems associated with this however and it is the problem areas that may force you into hiring a workers compensation lawyer in PA. An example of where you may have difficulties in making a claim is if the symptoms of the injury do not manifest themselves for some time, you may not realize at the time that you actually were injured. In most cases the law only gives the employee a short window of opportunity to report the accident; otherwise the employee will not be covered under workers comp. If you are involved in a workplace accident, report it to the company whether you were injured or not. Even if you suffered no injury, just a report of the accident may prompt the employer into implementing new safety measures that will prevent injuries in the future to you or other employees.
Workers compensation, by law, is required to be obtained by most employers. In exchange for providing workers compensation the law states that injured employees cannot sue their employers in the event of a workplace accident. It is not necessary for the employee to prove negligence on the part of the employer; as a matter of fact the employee can claim compensation even if the accident was due to his or her own negligence. There are some areas where injuries that happened on the job will not qualify for compensation; for example, if the employee is drunk or on illegal drugs then there is no coverage.
If you have been involved in an accident where you suffered an injury see a doctor immediately. If the accident warrants it go the local hospital ER otherwise ask your employer if they have a specific doctor that you should see or can you choose your own doctor. If the employer has a doctor and you are not happy with the outcome of the visit then you have the right to a second opinion but you may have to pay for this personally. Depending on the extent of your injuries it may be a good idea to consult with a workers compensation lawyer in PA because you stand to lose a lot if you simply go along with the employers doctor.
